Load carrying machines such as those used for transporting a loose load, for example, soil, rocks, gravel, garbage and the like form one location to another have a load carrying body for carrying the load. In some load carrying machines an ejector is provided for pushing the load from the load carrying body rather than dumping the load by tipping the load carrying body.
Load carrying machines with ejectors are suited for use in different applications for different reasons. Load carrying machines with ejectors are frequently utilized in applications where completeness of unloading is desired. Ejectors are often used in applications where the load being carried tends to stick to the load carrying body or otherwise resist unloading by traditional dumping methods. Ejectors are also useful in applications where the accuracy of load placement and load spreading is an issue. Load carrying machines with an ejector are also desirable in mining applications where over head clearance is limited and a pivotal tipping dump body is not feasible for use.
Ejectors for use in load carrying machine applications are often guided for controlled movement within the load carrying body by guide mechanisms, or example, rollers and trackways. In addition to guiding the ejector, the guide mechanism also serves to maintain the ejector from undesirable movement within the load carrying body, for example, cocking and lifting. The forces of cocking and lifting applied to the guide rollers and trackways tend to increase the force required to move the ejector and results in premature guide mechanism failure. The guide mechanism is also exposed to the material carried in the load carrying body which tends to wear the guide mechanism prematurely. This wear results in early life failure and down time of the load carrying machine. The guide mechanism also occupies space and reduces the effective load carrying capacity of the load carrying body. In operation the trackways and rollers are subjected to side thrust and It would be advantageous to be able to eliminate the guide mechanism.
The ejector is normally connected to a mechanism which moves the ejector along the trackways. The mechanism is located between the ejector and the load carrying body on a side of the ejector opposite a load side of the ejector. The space required to house the mechanism is substantial and significantly reduces the load carrying capacity of the load carrying body. The space is partially increased because the size of the mechanism powering the ejector is designed to handle the forces caused by side loading and lifting. A reduction in this wasted space would provide a beneficial improvement over prior ejector arrangements.
It would be advantageous to be able to pull the ejector during movement of the ejector between first and second longitudinally spaced end portions of the load carrying body. This pulling action would promote self tracking of the ejector and eliminate the need for a guide mechanism, such as described above.
It would also be advantageous to be able to utilize the forces of the load on the ejector to maintain the ejector at a desired position relative to the floor of the load carrying body and eliminate the need for the guide mechanism to keep the ejector from lifting.
It would be beneficial to be able to lower the center of gravity of the load carrying body and at the same time increase the load carrying capacity thereof.
It would also be advantageous to provide an ejector that was capable of substantially completely ejecting all of the load from the load carrying body in a simple and efficient manner.
The subject invention is directed to overcome one or more of the problems set forth above.